In response to a recent article about American cult wines in the San Francisco Chronicle, I was a bit awestruck when I read the following quote from Shaun Bishop, the president and buyer for online wine auction house WineCommune: “The name has to be right, the marketing has to be right, the rating has to be right.”
The article in the SF Chronicle talks about how cult wines from known winemakers of low production volume can fetch exorbitant prices (thousands for a single bottle). And of course, the only rating that really matters is the Parker rating, says the article. James Laube from Wine Spectator can only do so much, evidently.
It is entirely possible that Parker is, in fact, God, and that no mortal man may make a claim to the contrary of his divine palate. But I can’t help but wonder… isn’t wine a matter of taste? And hasn’t it been said that there is no accounting for it? So why are people paying so much for these wines? Pure economics ostensibly.
When the wine obsessed (of which I may be becoming one) hear about extremely highly rated wines produced in micro productions, like Anuva’s wines, they scramble to snap up these bottles. Demand goes through the roof and supply is short. I truly believe it’s just a matter of time before the same thing starts happening with our wines.
No related posts.
